Robinson confident of success

The British

& Irish Lions

Tour to New Zealand 2017

Robinson confident of success

England coach Andy Robinson is convinced the world champions' much-changed side will beat Australia on their summer tour.

Robinson's squad arrived in Sydney ahead of their two-Test series against the Wallabies later this month.

England are without a number of first-choice players through rest or injury but Robinson insists victory is the top priority for the tour.

Robinson said: "We have not brought a development side here. We have brought a team to come to win two Test matches against Australia and that is our whole mindset. This is not a development tour.

"We are looking forward, we're not looking back to what happened in 1998, what happened in 2003, what happened in the Six Nations, we're looking forward and we've brought a side here that is fresh, that is playing well and looking forward to the real challenge of beating Australia in Australia."

England's squad contains a blend of youth and, in the likes of Mike Catt, Ben Kay and Graham Rowntree, experience but it will be an unfamiliar team which takes the field.

Andrew Sheridan, Matt Stevens, Steve Borthwick and Lawrence Dallaglio are all missing through injury and a number of players are also rested with next year's World Cup in mind.